School of Lovecraftian Insanity
by Echofalls
Summary: Welcome to our school! We have the best classrooms, finest foods, and... Odd teachers.     But don't let our wacky classes bother you! Believe me, they're to die for...
1. Chapter 1: First Day of Term

_**Chapter 1:**__** First Day of Term.**_

The new school came into view, three stories with white washed walls. So this was Kara's new school? It _looked_ fine... It looked much better then her old one; a collapsing ruin with rusty gates. This one held promise in Kara's heart.

All of the students she passed in the corridors wore their school uniforms, just like hers; black leggings, white shirt, red tie, black blazer. But there was a difference; only Kara's still had the school emblem on it, no-one elses did. She noticed she recived quite a few strange looks from the students that she passed on her way to the headmaster's office, though she did not understand why.

The headmaster she found at his desk, he _reeked_ of alcohol, bloodshot eyes finding her uncertinally. 'Wha...? Who are you...?' he wondered.  
>'Er... I'm Kara Wilton, I transferred here from-'<br>'Oh! Ye...Yes, come... Sit.' he motioned for her to take a seat at the front of the desk. He was an odd looking man to be sure; long, greasy white hair, blood shot eyes struggling to notice her, as though he was nearly blind. Dressed in scruffy clothes that looked like he had been in for a while. His desk was scattered with papers scribbled with writings that Kara could not decipher. 'T- this school's been going downhill for a while now-' his eyes found Kara's school emblem.' AAH! TAKE IT OFF! TAKEITOFFNOW!' he screamed, leaping to his feet.  
>'What?'<br>'The _emblem!_ Get rid of it!'  
>'What? Why?' Kara wondered, looking at it.<br>'Haven't you heard? If you wear that emblem it disfigures you forever!'  
>'O... OK...' Kara whispered, picking at the threads until the emblem finally peeled away from Kara's blazer. She passed it over to the headmaster who immediatly threw it into the bin. 'There. No harm done.' he assured her with a nervous laugh, sitting back down slowly.<br>'Ok, Mr...' she looked at the nameplate on the desk. 'A. Thoth? I'm glad to be at your school.'  
>'Yes... Yes. I'm sure you will. Now here-... Here...?' he scoured under stacks of papers, searching for something in particular. <em>'Here...'<em> he passed her a paper. 'Is your school timetable, unfortunately I'm too busy to show you around, so just... ask the students if you need anything. Goodbye, Kara.' he waved her off gently before resting his head to the desk and snoring loudly as he fell alseep immediatly.

The library was where Kara went first, hoping to find the needed texts for her science lesson; A massive room with bookshelves on each wall. 'Dad-'  
>'Not now, Wilbur, I'm busy...' the man behind the librarian desk assured him, sliding his glasses back up his nose before facing the computer. 'I shall speak with you later, Wilbur.'<br>The aformentioned teen lowered his head, defeated; he was an odd one, chinless, with sharp angular features. Kara waited until he had left before approaching the librarian; a man with hair a startling shade of bright pink and sharp eyes behind amusingly large glasses. 'Yes?' he wondered.  
>'Errr... Hi, I'm new here and I haven't had time to buy any new books-'<br>'Hrmm...' the librarian sighed. 'Is it too much to ask Az to send out a copy of the needed text along with the application acceptance forms?' He reached under the desk scouring for something. 'I _suppose_ I could give the library's refrence copy, but I will need you to sign for it.' A dusty battered tome was left on the counter along with a notepad and pen for library purposes.

'Sure, thanks.'  
>'Uh-huh...' the librarian muttered as he returned to his computer. <p>


	2. Chapter 2: Crazy School

_**Chapter 2: **__** Crazy School. **_

Students sat at their lab stools, chatting quietly, Kara approached the nearest empty seat; at the front of the classroom next to a male with shoulder length brown hair. 'Excuse me...?' Kara wondered slowly, clutching her bag to her chest.  
>'Hm?' The teen turned to her, bright emerald eyes looked her over instantly, lingering in some places longer then others. 'Well, <em>hello.<em>' he smiled. 'Sure, sit...' he assured her, patting the empty seat. 'That... Is what you were asking, yeah?'  
>'Yeah...' Kara replied, taking the seat. 'I'm Kara.'<br>'Alex.' he replied with a smile.

'How did you guess?' she wondered, placing her bag on the floor next to her.  
>'Oh...' Alex smirked. 'I'm psychic. That and this was the only empty seat.' he stopped to chuckle before turning to the taller male next to him. 'Hey, Ceaser, this is Kara.'<br>'Hi, Kara.' he gave her a devilish smirk, blue eyes narrowing in amusement.  
>'Hello...' Kara replied, finding a smile tugging at her lips.<p>

'So... What do you think he's gonna do to us today?'  
>'Dunno for sure...' Alex shrugged. 'Everything's a bit blurry- When did <em>those<em> get there?' he tilted his head towards the ceiling, noticing several large scorch marks above the teacher's desk. 'They weren't there last term...'  
>'Word has it that Mr Tepp's gone a bit weird.' Ceaser stated as Kara eavesdropped on them. 'But I can't see "Mr Meek and Mild" caring to do something dangerous enough to burn the ceiling... Hey! You remember that time he screamed when he ignited the bunsen burner?'<p>

'How could I forget! He became the laughing stock of the-' Alex stopped suddenly before shivering. 'You feel that...?' Apparently it could've been some sort of delayed effect, but Kara saw each student shiver and huddle closer together, then it hit her; a primal chill that crept into her bones. Then she realised it wasn't just a chill; but something approaching this room was putting the fear of the universe into every student gathered...

The door to the room slammed open as the fear became worse, commanding the attention of every student gathered. The science teacher strode into the room; figure held high and proud as he approached his desk. 'Alright...' Dark, deep eyes scanned the assembled. 'Understand this...' Books were slammed onto the desk, several students flinched. 'You are in my class to learn, not to play around.' Fingers tapped heavily against the books on the desk. 'Hmm? Do we have a new student?' he strode around his desk to approach Kara. Only now could she clearly see his form; dressed in a sharp black suit, hair as dark as black went, as he drew close, Kara could only focus on his eyes; souless black voids scrutinizing her. she found herself sitting so far back in her chair that she was sliding down under the table, the same effect was happening to Alex. Breathing came in harsh, rapid gasps as the fear became far more intense. 'Why was I not informed of this...?' he muttered to himself before his searing gaze returned to her. 'Your name, girl?'  
>Kara opened her mouth, but only a small squeak escaped. The teacher was not amused by this.<br>'Speak clearly.' he snarled.  
>'K-Kara... Kara... Wilton.' she managed finally, feeling tears build in her eyes. He returned to his desk and snatched a folder from it, leafing through the pages at a blistering pace. 'Hmph... So it is.' he nodded shutting the folder. 'Welcome to my class.' he finished with a dark smile, revealing perfect white teeth.<p>

'I can't believe him!' Alex demanded once they were far enough away from the science labs. 'What happened to "Mr Meek and Mild"? He's just scary now!'  
>'You're the supposed psychic, you tell me.' Ceaser snorted.<br>'It doesn't work like that, Ceaser.' Alex stated shaking his head as they strode out onto the grounds. 'I don't know what happened to Mr Tepp, but he's had one hell of an adrenaline makeover.' Unknown to the two of them, said teacher stood watching them from the window of his classroom, dark eyes now a burning gold. '_Hmph.'_ he smirked. 


	3. Chapter 3: See in the Ink

_**Chapter 3: **__**See in the Ink.**_

'Welcome, my children...' the art teacher waited until all the students were settled before he rose from his seat, a white suit secured in place with a yellow apron, his face was hidden behind a white mask painted with colourful patterns. 'In this room we shall explore and awake the creative talents that sleep within each of us! For each of us has a flowery bud of talent, waiting inside for the chance to bloom into a creative pattern upon a canvas! Drink in the energies of the universe, of dreams and the astral realms!'  
>'Is he mad...?' Kara whispered to Alex.<br>'Quite possibly...' he replied, considering something.

The art teacher, Mr King, was still continuing his eccentric advice as the students were asked to "Draw from the soul". 'The very essence of life, captured forever on canvas, does that not sound beautiful? Try harder, Mr Whateley...' he spun suddenly to face Kara, golden blonde hair settling behind him. 'Ooo!' he gasped, making Kara flinch. 'Your aura is pulsing, Ms Wilton!' he leant in close enough she could hear him breathing. 'Do you feel it? _Life... Time... Decay... Death... _Do you feel their energies?' he wondered, Kara let her eyes trace along a spiral pattern on the left side of his mask. 'Yes...' she whispered before returning to her drawing.  
>'Hmm? What about you, Mr Gale?' he wondered, looking at Alex. 'What are you focusing on?'<br>'Something I saw in my dreams.' Alex shrugged, sketching random lines.  
>'May I see?' the art teacher wondered. Alex nodded and passed the paper to Mr King.<br>'Hmm?' he turned the page every which way before suddenly throwing it back down and stepping away, amber eyes wide. 'My... My dear boy...'  
>Kara looked down at the discarded page; upon it was a winged, tentacled bat creature, one, three lobed eye stared out at her. 'W-why would you choose to draw the Haunter? Of all the beautiful things in this wide universe, why <em>him?'<em>

'Like I said, sir, it was just something in my dreams.'

'Ok... Ok...' Mr King was still a bit twitchy, but had calmed down considerably. 'Well, that was unexpected-' he stopped suddenly. Again Alex felt the chill first, but so did the art teacher, one by one the students began to shudder and huddle closer together. A sharp knock on the door.

'Enter.' Mr King managed. The door opened and Mr Tepp poked his head in.

'May I borrow Alexander Gale for a moment?'  
>Alex gulped deeply.<br>'For how long, sir?' Mr King wondered.

'I would just like a word with him.' the science teacher assured him, Mr King nodded and Alex rose slowly from his seat, trembling from head to toe. He followed the terrifying teacher out of the room.  
>'Might I ask what you find so humourous, Mr Whateley?' Mr King wondered, turning to face Wilbur, who stopped snickering immediatly. 'Nothing, sir!' he assured him before turning to whisper to the teen next to him who snickered as well.<br>'Mr Carter, Mr Whateley...' the art teacher sighed. 'Behave, please.' 

Alex reentered the room shortly later, holding a text book and looking lucky to be alive.  
>'What did he want?' Kara asked once she was sure he was recovering.<br>'B-book. Left behind.' Alex managed, replacing the science text book into his rucksack.

'That was nice of him.' Kara stated.  
>'Sure... <em>Nice...<em>' Alex shivered before glancing at Wilbur Whateley and Randolph Carter, both of them kept sparing him glances and snickering to each other. This could not bode well.

The teachers gathered later in the staff room while the students were out at lunch.

'I heard you, Hastur. Half the school could hear you.' The librarian, Yog-Sothoth, stated as he cleaned his glasses. '"Open your hearts and souls to the energies of the universe!" Can't believe it.'  
>'Good art comes from the soul and connection with all living things.' Hastur replied as he removed his mask, running a hand down his face.<p>

'C'mon Hastur, I-' The King in Yellow turned to face Yog who stammered immediatly over Hastur's face. 'I- Well... There's a work of art right there...'  
>'Do stop drooling, Yog.' Hastur replied, replacing his mask to cover his "So-handsome-it-hurts" face. 'You know it doesn't come out of the sofa.' The door to the staff room opened before slamming shut once again, the science teacher strode across the room before collapsing into an armchair. 'Ugh...' Nyarlathotep groaned. 'If I have to look at another of those hairless apes I feel I may vomit.' he ran his hands down his face before looking over at the two of them.<p>

'We feel the same...' Yog replied.  
>'<em>He <em>feels the same.' Hastur corrected him. 'I believe they have potential.'  
>'Potential for what? Azathoth is now a permenantly drunken headmaster, and <em>I<em> am stuck in a dead end job teaching tiny minds the basics of our reality without any of my usual methods.'  
>'I don't think mind control and eldritch forms are very high on the school charter.' Hastur considered it as he paced. 'Then again... That nasty curse you placed on the school...'<p>

'What curse?' Yog wondered, looking between the two of them.

'It makes rumours become reality if enough people believe them.' Hastur waved it off as he approached the coffee pot.  
>'Your son seems very keen on that one...' Nyarlathotep growled. 'Yes... I heard him whispering outside. I <em>do not<em> like what is being said.'  
>'What's being said?' Yog chuckled, knowing it was something that would negatively impact the Crawling Chaos.<br>'Never you mind...' he snarled.

'I don't want to go in tomorrow...' Alex groaned as they left at the end of the day, among the other throngs of students. '_Double_ science tomorrow. Over two hours stuck scribbling down equations with him breathing down our necks...' his tone turned sarcastic 'I can think of no greater pleasure.' A group of female students burst into fits of giggles as they heard him say that. '_What?'_ More giggling, Alex rolled his eyes and walked on. 'I will never understand women...'  
>Wilbur Whateley and Randolph Carter watched from the shadows, dark smirks on their features. <p>


	4. Chapter 4: Rumours to Reality

_**Chapter 4: Rumours to Reality. **_

Hastur joined Nyarlathotep the first thing next morning, taking a seat so he could rest. 'Surely, Hastur, you remember the first time I tested out this curse?'  
>'Yes, I do... You made me spread the rumour that wearing the school emblem would permenantly disfigure you...'<p>

The Crawling Chaos was in a much better mood this morning, not having taught any kids yet. 'And the result was _very_ good... Do you remember Sandra Castall?'  
>'No.'<br>'Neither does anyone else!' Nyarlathotep chuckled 'It was a rousing success! All anyone remembers is a girl with a warped face who used to attend the school, until she- angered by what she saw in the mirror- broke it into shards and used one to take her own life. She loses her life, the school board goes into utter chaos, I get my kicks! _Everyone wins!'_  
>Hastur did not hear that last statement, he was far to busy considering whatever it was on his mind 'Is it true, Nyarlathotep?'<p>

'Is what true...?' he wondered, golden eyes narrowing suspiciously, good mood failing.  
>'The...' The weight of the Crawling Chaos' stare was an awesome and terrifying thing, even to Gods. '... The rumour that...'<p>

'I can't stand Tepp! Always there when you don't want him! Always breathing down your neck like he's angry at us!' Ceaser demanded as they took their seats for two hours of hell. The petrifying chill warned them of his approach even before he even entered the classroom. Kara noted that he seemed to be far more strict today, anger focused in the direction of Alex, who- unfortunately was sitting next to Kara, so she too recived a large amount of his searing, mocking voice.  
>'<em><strong>MISTER GALE!'<strong>_ Alex flinched immediatly, what had he done to so enforce his teacher's wrath?  
>'Y-yes, sir?' Alex wondered, snapping out of his trance.<br>'Perhaps if you decided to pay attention in my class rather then daydream, you may actually be able to cram information into your tiny mind.'  
>The class was utterly silent.<br>_Well sir, if you weren't such a mocking asshole, maybe I would show sympathy for you..._ Alex thought. 'Yes, sir.' he stated. Mr Tepp dug his nails into the desk deeply, maitaining an unflinching glare with Alex. 'Good. Now do pay attention, because I do not have the time for one-on-one sessions, especially with you-' his gaze shifted immediatly. '_Settle down, Mr Whateley...'_ he snarled.

'Now, we may have lost some time, but I feel that if we suffer no further interruptions, you may actually manage to learn something.' he returned to his desk and pulled a sheet from whatever was item it was covering. Revealed within a glass containment was a slimy green octopus.  
>Cries of disgust came from the assembled students, but Tepp merely regarded it with cold eyes.<br>'Is... Is it dead, sir?' Kara managed.  
>'No, not dead.' he assured her. 'Merely dreaming.' He gave the cage a sharp rap with his knuckles and the octopoid squirmed in reply. 'Now then, today I will be showing you the inner workings of this creature via a very common method.' He snapped a latex glove over a hand. 'Dissection.'<br>The Cthulhuian octopoid emitted a quiet squeak before slithering into a corner. But the Crawling Chaos turned teacher continued without mercy.

Kara had been seperated from the boys, busy doing physical Ed. Her teacher was a woman in a sharp green dress, brown hair frizzed up and piled upon her head. Her name was Ms Shrub... Or something like that. Kara had noticed something, that -Mr King aside- none of the teachers seemed to want to be here. 'Right class...' Ms Shrub/ Shub demanded standing before the panting, worn out women that had just run the entire length of the school. 'I think we're just out of time, you can all go and get changed, I have another job to go and do.'

'Mr Gale, please stop leaving your books in my class.' The science teacher demanded as he met Alex in the corridor, forcing a text book into his hands, then he was gone. Alex stuffed it away before walking towards the art classroom. 'Hey, Gale, you wanna make a dare?' Randolph Carter approached him outside.

'Hm? I'm listening, but you have to do a dare for me too.'  
>'Deal. You try and get on Teppy's good side.' he chuckled, Alex did not see what was so humourous. 'Very well then. In return... You, Wilbur, me and my friends have to spend the night in the school.'<p>

'So?' Randolph shrugged. 'What's spooky about that?'  
>'Rumour had that there's something in the shadows, it comes in the dark...' Alex smirked darkly.<br>'Sounds dangerous and intersting. _Deal.'_ Randolph shook his hand.

'Class...' Mr King was losing the will to go on.  
>'Sir? Sir? Sir? Sir?'<br>_'Yes?'_ he groaned, facing the blonde female student and school beauty.  
>'Why do you wear that mask, Sir?'<br>'I wear it for my own reasons.'

'Is it 'cos you're ugly, sir?'  
>'No-'<p>

'Is it 'cos you had botched surgery, sir?'

'No. Stop it, now. I will not tolerate this. I wear this mask because I do not want any to see my face. It keeps an air of mystery, mystery also creates good art.' he assured her. 'Now, class... That is our topic for today; Mystery.' he took a seat behind his paintbrush laden desk, resting his chin on his hands, golden hair falling past. 'Show me what you see.'  
>Hastur was not going to tell them the <em>real<em> reason why they were not to see his face; it would drive them mad- _with lust _and he did not want that_._

'Mum! I'm home!' the door shut behind Kara as she arrived home.  
>'Oh! Hello, honey, how was school?' her mother leant her head around the kitchen door. She was a kind woman with blonde hair as soft as candyfloss. 'Fine, thanks, mum!' Kara sighed, dropping her school bag onto the floor and crouching down as she heard the padding of pawprints on the carpet. '<em>Hello, boy!<em>' she squealed, holding tightly onto the tiny labrador puppy as it leapt into her arms. '_Ooh! Who'sagoodboy? Who'sagoodboy?' _

Alex returned home seemingly more depressed, the sixteen year old just wanted to sleep and get up later for the night out in the school. But the rest of his family was not going to allow it; his sister, Linda, was sitting on the sofa, gaming away with Wii remote in hand, his mother was reading peacefully and his step-father was out gardening. Without saying a word to them he dropped his stuff and plodded up the stairs to bed.

Alex turned within the turmoil of his dreams, fleeting visions...  
><em>He was walking through the school, stopping to check behind him every few feet, shining a flashlight over his shoulder, illuminating the hallway. The way out was behind him, but... It seemed darker now. His breath steamed up as the temperature dived, something was coming; the same chilling fear in his heart. It was behind him... Alex turned to face whatever it was; three burning eyes stared at him from the darkness.<em>  
>'<em>Mr Gale...'<em> _A voice growled. 'I smell...You...'_  
>Alex awoke from a sudden coughing fit, feeling his throat as though the shadowy claws were still there. <p>


	5. Chapter 5: Night School

_**Chapter 5: **__** Night School.**_

'Who invited Whateley and Carter?' Ceaser demanded as they met outside the school gates, still unlocked. Ceaser wore a dark tracksuit, a rucksack on his back containing a flashlight clipped to the side of it. Alex was dressed mainly in cream colours, a bracelet around his right wrist made of white stone with cut green crystals at set intervals, sparkling in the moonlight. Kara had dressed in very warm, winter clothes, a thick blue coat zipped up tightly; it was designed for skiing.

They took residence up in one of the English classrooms. 'This is horrid... Boring.' Alex sighed, swinging his feet absent mindedly as he sat on the edge of a desk.  
>'What are we looking for?' Wilbur wondered in a yawn. 'I have studying to do.'<br>'Yeah, Alex, you said this place was haunted!'

'Shh! Hush! Do you hear that?' Ceaser demanded, silencing them all in one go. Alex felt it first, wrapping his coat tighter around him. 'That chill...'  
>Footsteps could be heard, thumping and echoing along the empty corridor. Then it hit the others; that frigid void of an utterly <em>alien<em> presence.  
>'W-When you said h-h-h-haunted?' Randolph wondered trembling from head to foot.<br>The footsteps came to a stop outside the door to their classroom. All of them watched it expectantly, heavy breathing could be heard from outside. 'Lights off...' Kara breathed. With several clicks, their flashlights were turned off, leaving only the moonlight streaming in through the windows. 'I wish I hadn't said "Haunted" and "Dark" in the same rumour...' Alex breathed to himself. '_The Haunter of the Dark...'_

The presence lingered behind the door, chilling sixteen year olds to their bones. Alex was suffering major deja vu, but managed to keep his mind in the present. '_Come... Come to me...'_ The whispering voice echoed through the air, only Alex seemed to be able to hear it. '_Come to me, Alexander... Let me rip you... Let me tear you... '_

'Alex?' Kara's voice snapped him from his trance, he had been staring unblinkingly at the door.

'Hmm?' he wondered, looking at her.  
>'You Ok?' she wondered. 'You looked a bit... Out of it for a moment.'<br>'Yeah, I'm...' the presence faded from behind the door, the chill gone with it. 'Fine. Fine, now.'

'Isn't that w-w-where we came down?' Randolph Carter wondered after he and Wilbur had seperated from the rest of the group. That chill was back. 'Y-yeah. It looks... A bit darker now. A _lot_ darker.' he wondered, shining his flashlight down it, the weak beam did not manage to penetrate the inky blackness. 'Let's not go that way.'

'I never liked gym...' Alex groaned as they entered into the massive basketball court. Their footsteps echoed through the hall as they proceeded between the shadowy sectors of the hall, and the area illuminated by moonlight coming in through the windows. 'Stop!' Alex demanded, grabbing Kara and Ceaser by the back of their shirts before they stepped out of the moonlit area. 'Alex?' Ceaser demanded, black hair flying as he turned to look down on his smaller friend, his eyes were wide and he was staring around, unblinking. 'What's wrong?' Kara asked, taking one of his hands. An image burst into her mind the moment that she completed the psychic "circuit". She tried to pull away, but Alex held her hand in an iron grip. _A dark shadow emerged out of the utter blackness of a void, form unfixed, shifting and changing like rippling oil. _ Kara finally managed to wrench had hand free, the image faded. 'What was that...?'  
>'I don't know...' Alex shook his head, seeming to have recovered. 'I don't know.' <br>'_My, my... Aren't you up late?'_ A dark voice drawled from nearby.

'Mr Tepp?' Kara wondered. 'What are you doing here?'  
>'Why, Kara, I could ask you the same question.' he shrugged, pulling his hands from his pockets.<br>'His eyes...' Alex whispered, he looked positvely hysterical. '_His eyes!'_ Kara noticed it now, the science teacher had dark black voids where his eyes should be, absoultely nothing beyond. Her entire form began to tremble with an unknown fear, and if Alex was sensitive to this sort of stuff, she was amazed he was still standing. Mr Tepp gave a small smile, opening his mouth to say something, but before he could, a snarling howl whipped through the building, the shadows thickening as the temperature took a plummet. 'Everybody, careful!' Ceaser demanded, pulling Kara and Alex close to his solid chest with unnatural ease. 'Stay in the light.'  
>'Ahh! Our Haunter arrives...' Mr Tepp snickered. 'Are you going to kill me? Or is that beyond your power?'<br>The very building shook with a roaring howl, suddenly the eyeless science teacher vanished suddenly. They gathered Whateley and Carter and soon fled the building after that. None of them slept well that night.

'_Broaden your minds...! True artwork comes through the cleansing of the soul!'_ Kara struggled to stay concious and nearly fell asleep twice, one time she came dangerously close to sleeping face first in a paint pot. '_Hmm... _Now what do we have here... Huh?' Alex nudged her roughly and she sat up with a start, staring into those deep amber eyes of the art teacher. 'Hmm? Is this group work?'  
>'Y-yeah!' Ceaser cut across, trying to find the right shade of green.<br>'So... Do tell me, how is this working?' Mr King wondered, flexing his fingers in wonder.  
>'Kara here...' Alex tapped her lightly on the back to wake her up again. '...Is opening her chakras to properly channel the energies requried for clear vision of artwork. I am sketching what she is describing, and Ceaser will paint the finished product.'<br>'Ah. Co-operative artwork. Music to my ears.' Mr King nodded before returning to his desk and picking up a book of plays, Alex could make out the name; "_The King In Yellow"._


	6. Chapter 6: Holding up a Deal

_**Chapter 6:**__** Holding up a Deal.**_

'Not now, Carter.' Alex demanded, speeding up his walk to a light jog, heading for the library, hopefully he could lose him among the stacks. 'Oi! We held up our end of the deal, we came here at night and got the shit scared out of us. Now it's your turn to do your end, you have to try and get on Tepp's good side!'

'That's about as easy as trying to build a bomb shelter out of wet tissues!' Alex demanded as they entered into the library.  
>'Why did you agree to it then?' Carter wondered, folding his arms.<br>'I don't know, I wasn't thinking properly...' Alex sighed as they passed the librarian- Mr Goth- as he continued to speak with Whateley.  
>'Now then, Wilbur, I have told you time and time again, I cannot possibly loan you the Necronomicon, it is a reference book and is not to leave it's case- Mr Carter!' Even with his back turned, somehow the librarian managed to spot Randolph. 'You know that you are banned from this library until next month. Please leave.'<br>With a sigh, Randolph nodded to Wilbur before leaving. Wilbur began to smirk darkly in reply.  
>'And stop spreading those rumours, Wilbur.' Mr Y. Goth ordered.<br>'What rumours, father?' He asked, watching Alex vanish amidst the library shelves.

'You _know_ what rumours. I have spoken with Mr Tepp about it, and he is not amused by them.'  
>'Errr...'<br>Mr Goth sighed deeply at his son's refusal. 'The rumour we have heard circulating that there is something going on between Mr Gale and a member of the faculty.'  
>'Well, it makes sense, father. He's constantly wanting private words with him, discussing private lessons-'<br>'There is_ nothing_ going on.' the pink haired librarian demanded in a threatening tone. 'I assure you. It would be illegal and horrid.'  
><em> That won't stop me spreading words..<em> Wilbur thought.

(_**A/N: And rumours become reality if enough people believe them... Nyarly, your curse is backfiring in your face! He's not a Karma Houdini anymore!**_)

'He's saying _what?'_ Kara snickered deeply at lunchtime. Alex was not amused by this, he had overheard a bunch of girls giggling and eavesdropped unashamedly on them and _who_ had spread them. 'I'm gonna kill him' Alex groaned before swigging form a bottle of water. 'You believe me, don't you, Kara? Ceaser?'  
>'Yeah, but it's just...' Kara stopped to giggle. 'Funny.'<p>

'Tch, Wilbur Whateley. We should have him suspended.' Nyarlathotep growled as he took a seat.  
>'What's your son done now, Yog?' Shub Niggaruth demanded before softly sipping her tea.<p>

'Spreading vicious rumours.' Yog Sothoth demanded, continuing to read his book.  
>'Rumours that I detest...' Nyarlathotep snarled. 'I do not- and <em>never<em> will care about that human!'

'Well, lift the curse then, before this one bites you up the ass!'

'What?' Nyarlathotep sounded amused. 'This curse has recently helped me to gain power, I will not let it go now. _Nothing. Will. Happen._' he stated solidly, standing up and giving his jacket a sharp tug. 'Good day.'

'Why do you want our blood again, sir?' Kara wondered as they sat in their class later.

The science teacher paced about in front of them, occasionally glancing at a large set of clean syringes. 'I want your blood, Ms Wilton, because now the time has come for us to start our biology immunity classes.'  
>'Your going to infect us?' Alex wondered.<br>'No, your blood will be drawn and then placed into a petri dish where we can then place it under a microscope and observe bacterial growth. Mr Whateley, you will be first.'

Wilbur gulped.

Alex looked nervously at the vials of blood. 'Mr Gale.' Alex gulped and looked up at the mention of his name. 'Your turn.'  
>'S-sir.' Alex stammered as he approached him. 'I- I don't think I can do this. I... I bleed... for a long time.'<br>Mr Tepp tilted his head, fixing a hand around Alex's forearm. 'Then this should work perfectly.' he gave an dark, yet angelic smile, stabbing the syringe needle into a vein forcefully.  
>'<em>Shi- OUCH!'<em> Alex yelled, cringing backwards. The moment he did so, Kara felt a strange energy in the air and the vials of blood- with no physical means of contact- were torn from their place on the desk, sent flying across the room and shattering against the far wall. The teacher looked at the dark crimson liquid pooling down the walls, then back at Alex; a spark of recognition in his eyes. 'Intruiging...' he muttered, applying a bandage to stem Alex's heavy bleeding. '_I shall speak with you after class.'_ he hissed before raising his voice. 'Mr Whateley!'  
>'Yes, sir?'<br>'Clean that off my walls!'  
>'Yes, sir...' Wilbur sighed, reaching for a cloth.<p>

'Mr Gale...'  
>Alex tenderly felt his arm, watching the last student vanished out the door, leaving him and the teacher alone. 'Sir?' he wondered as the teacher shut the door behind them.<p>

'Do you have many telekinteic episodes, Alex?' he wondered, sitting behind his desk once more.  
>Alex said nothing.<br>'Alex, _come closer.'_ he found his legs moving without any concious thought, suddenly finding himself standing before the strict science teacher. 'Tell me about your family, Alexander.'  
>'Sir?'<br>'Just tell me.'  
>'What should I tell you...?'<p>

'Is there anything odd?'  
>'No...' Alex considered it, green eyes flicking over the diagrams on the wall. 'Yes! My... My father, sometimes, when I was younger, he'd... He'd look at me and... All I'd see was confusion. He looked at me like I wasn't really his child. Then one day... One day... He...' Alex shook his head. 'Suicide.'<p>

'Ahh... That explains it.' Mr Tepp nodded, resting his head in his hands. 'You may leave.'  
>'Yes, sir.' Alex nodded, picking up his rucksack and heading for the door.<br>'Alex.'

'Yes, sir?'  
>The teacher pointed at one of the desks. 'Your text book. Again.'<br>'Oh...' Alex hurried forwards to pack away his book and then once more proceeded towards the door. 'Alex.'  
>'Yes, sir?'<br>'I suggest you stay out of the school at night. It is not a nice place.'  
>'Ok.'<br>'Alex.' Again he was called.  
>'Yes, sir?'<br>'Don't worry about the blood. These things happen.' he added with a smile. Alex smiled back and was gone.

'You seem interested in Alexander Gale...' Hastur wondered as he paced in the staff room.  
>'Yes, indeed. He is only half human.' Nyarlathotep nodded.<p>

'And... The other half?'

'Let's see; Extra sensory perception, empathy, extreme sensitvity to our energies, pyschokinesis, thirst for knowledge... _WHO_ could it be?' Nyarlathotep mocked before growling. '_Yithian.'_

'What?' Shub laughed; a high girly sound. 'How is that even _possible?_'  
>Hastur gave a small shrug. 'I can assume that the unfortunate Yithian intiated a mind transfer with Alex's father moments before their child was concived...'<p>

'And I thought my children had problems.' Shub snorted.

'My arm still hurts...' Alex groaned, feeling the crimson bandage on his arm. 'He... He took- like- _half_ my blood.'  
>'We feel the same, Alex.' Kara stated, glancing at her own bandage.<br>'What the hell happened in there? Blood flying across the room?' Ceaser wondered, munching on an apple as he reviewed his homework planner.

'I'd rather not say...' Alex stated.

'What did Teppy want with you?' Kara said before stopping to snort at what she had just said.  
>'I'd rather not say...' Alex repeated.<p>

_**(A/N: Did Nyarly just smile at Alex? The Crawling Chaos... Smiling? Either he's having an twisted plan, or... The rumours curse is taking effect. Either way this'll be interesting...**_) 


	7. Chapter 7: Something about Wilbur

_**Chapter 7: **__**Something about Wilbur Whateley.**_

Night fell on the school as something crept through the shadows. Something that had no intent other then the utter destruction of every living creature. It stood in the courtyard and howled loudly at the moon, wishing its pale light to be extinguished forever along with the burning sun that forced it so deeply into the bowels of this building.

The weekend was nearly upon them, but there was still one more day to go. Alex was feeling mildly confused; his empathy kept drawing him towards the science teacher, who kept giving him small smiles each time they passed in the corridors. What was happening here? But if there was one thing his empathy was telling him, it was that they should both be extremely annoyed at Wilbur Whateley. Wilbur wanted to spread rumours about Alex, so Alex would spread rumours about him. 'Have you heard, Kara?'

'No, what?'  
>'I've heard that Wilbur Whateley is changing. He's mutating, growing eyes on his arms, nasty stuff like that.'<br>'Seriously?'  
>'Yeah! Go tell everyone!' Alex demanded, pointing down the corridor to where groups of students were gathered. He stopped as he heard snickering from behind him, a large number of girls were standing behind him; the leader was a girl that was considered the school beauty; dazzling blonde hair and someone Alex <em>used<em> to have a small crush on, the same girl who had questioned Mr King's mask. 'What's this, Alex?' she wondered with an evil smirk as he voice turned mocking. 'Have you found your _true love?_' the girls behind her exploded into giggles. This was why Alex would never understand women. She gave a stuffy flick of her hair before walking on, nose held high. The science teacher regarded them from the shadows, eyes narrowing dangerously as he watched her.

'Ceaser...'  
>'Huh?' he wondered as Kara approached him. 'What's up?'<br>'You've been here longer than me, have... You noticed anything _odd_ about the teachers?'  
>'Where to start?' Ceaser laughed. 'The headmaster's the creepiest, he doesn't seem to blink as much as <em>normal<em> people do, sometimes he's sane, sometimes he's out-of-it. Teppy's creepy, sometimes I'm not even sure he's human, the rest of the staff are a bunch of twits too. I mean, look at King, he's on drugs, I think.'  
>'Or maybe he's always been a bit crackers?' Kara suggested.<br>'Or maybe he's wondering as to why you are inside on a nice day like this?' the deep voice wondered from behind them.  
>'Ah, S-sir. Hello!' Kara stated with an innocent smile, both of them turning to the golden haired art teacher.<p>

Kara had been through another hellish P.E. lesson, somehow the weather had suddenly decided to turn stormy the moment that lunchtime was over. Ms Shrub- or whatever it was- had been particually strict today, seeking for them to do three laps of the school building. All of them now returned, sopping wet, to the changing rooms. Everyone else had gone away, Kara had just finished packing her kit away and drying her hair when she heard sobbing from nearby. 'Hello?' she wondered, approaching the source of it. She found the source; a girl was curled up in the corner, trembling as she sat amongst long golden strands, she was practically bald aside from a few sticking strands. Sensing Kara's presence, she looked up, tears running down a bloated and twisted face. 'I... It just keeps falling out!' she sniffed, taking her hands off her head, a few more strands of hair leaving with them. 'I-I don't understand it... _What did I do to deserve this?_' she broke into a fresh outburst of sobbing. 'What happened...?' Kara wondered quietly.  
>'I don't know...' she squeaked. '<em> I don't know!'<em>  
>'I'm... I'm gonna go get Ms Shrub...' Kara stated, leaving the balding girl crying.<p>

'That was cruel! That was downright _evil!_' Shub Niggaruth demanded.  
>'I tolerate none who sully what is mine...' Nyarlathotep replied calmly, folding his arms. 'So I took from her what she treasured; her greatest asset.' His Outer God nature vanished for a second. 'Perhaps she won't be such a stuck up cow now? In my opnion she got what she deserved.'<p>

'What's wrong, my son?' The Librarian wondered as Wilbur approached him, looking nervous.  
>'Dad... Can... Can I speak to you? In private?' Wilbur wondered, tightly clutching his right arm. The librarian gave a small sigh before motioning for them to move into an empty classroom. 'Wilbur, for the <em>last<em> time, I cannot allow you to take the Ne- _Ah.'_ he was cut off as Wilbur rolled up his right sleeve, dark veins adorned his arm along with several large red lumps, one of those lumps had already split open; a dark, bloodshot eye looked rapidly around the room. 'What's happening to me, Dad?'  
>'I don't know... But I have an idea...' Mr Goth replied, scratching his chin.<p>

'There's something odd going on here.' Alex stated, approaching Kara and Ceaser after school. 'On a hunch, I was doing a bit of light reading into the school history.' he dropped several thick tomes onto the desk.

'That's _light?'_ Ceaser wondered. 'What do you consider heavy reading?'  
>Alex snorted before flicking through the pages. 'Look here, photos of all the staff members; dated until the start of this term.'<br>'So?'

'_Look at the pictures! Look at all of them!'_ Alex hissed. 'They're _**Not**_ the same!'  
>'What?' Kara and Ceaser gasped in unison, joining Alex and staring down at the pictures;<br>The headmaster was a man with cropped dark hair, not the usual white candyfloss that Kara had seen. The Librarian did not have pink hair, Mr King was a man covered in freckles, Mr Tepp looked... _reasonably _the same, but in the picture he looked unsettled and troubled, dressed scruffy and with untidy hair, a far cry from the confident, snarky man that had been teaching them. 'How... How could we not notice?' Ceaser wondered. 'How could _no-one _notice?'  
>'Maybe they've done something to our minds, making us not notice the difference, or maybe... <em>maybe<em> we're just thick?' Alex wondered.  
>'So where do we go from here-?' Kara wondered before shutting up immediatly as the same creepy chill echoed into her bones.<p>

'The school bell rang out long ago and the sun is back, why are you still here?' The fake Tepp wondered.  
>'After school stuff, homework.' Alex replied.<br>The teacher imposter smirked as he folded his arms. 'Surely it is in the name that you should be doing that at _home?_' His smirk failed as he realised all three of them were staring at him intensely. With a small shrug, he walked off.  
>'We need to understand what's happening here.' Alex nodded. 'And now I fear we may need the one book in this school that this "librarian" keeps under wraps. We need the Necronomicon. <em>Tonight.<em>' 


	8. Chapter 8: In the Hearts of Men

_**Chapter 8:**__** In the Hearts of Mankind.**_

'Why are we going back into a building we know is haunted?' Kara wondered at Alex's insane logic.

'We need to go figure out why our teachers have been replaced by odd imposters.' Alex stated turning to face her, walking backwards. 'And we need to figure out why no-one's noticed it.'  
>'We noticed it, we noticed that Tepp had gone from meek and mild, to scary super teacher.' Ceaser stated as he lagged behind Kara.<p>

'Huh...? What are you doing here?' Curse the void! They had crossed paths with the headmaster!

'Isn't this technically breaking the rules?'  
>'Erm... No?' Kara suggested.<br>The headmaster considered it for a while. 'Well... I guess not. But the rules are there for a reason, although sometimes the reason escapes me... As you were, kids...' he yawned before walking on, as though sleepwalking.

'Remember what I said; stay in the light...' Ceaser stated as they browsed amongst the reference section of the darkened library. 'I still don't see why I should...' Kara stated, folding her arms as she shone her flashlight around. 'Let me see that.' Ceaser had found the book and it was immediatly snatched from his hands by Alex he browsed through the dry ancient pages randomly, skimming over the information within. He dropped the book onto a desk, it fell open on a page. "AZATHOTH" Kara approached him, reading over his shoulder. '"The nuclear maelstrom at the center of the universe, it is a mindless creator that is lulled to sleep constantly, keeping it's heartless desires from warping reality to its random whims.'"  
>'OK, Mr Psychic.' Ceaser nudged Alex. 'Use your powers, <em>see the truth<em>.'  
>'I...' Alex stopped to sigh. 'Very well.' he shut his eyes and placed a hand against the page. Kara watched as Alex cringed suddenly before pulling his hand free- emerald eyes snapping open-.<br>'Oh.. OK! The headmaster's Azathoth!'

'We just spoke with God, basically?' Kara wondered as Alex turned the page.  
>'"Yog Sothoth: A creature that is both all of this universe and is nothing, bound both within and without this reality; it sees all and knows all."' Once more Alex placed a hand to the page. 'Ugh.. Y-yep, it's our vibrant haired librarian.' he shuddered.<p>

'If... Our librarian is a monster... What does that make Whateley?' Ceaser wondered. Alex shrugged before turning the page. '" The Crawling Chaos, Nyarlathotep." I... I don't wanna touch this page guys... I think I already know who it is...' _And I don't want my feelings to be true, please..._ Alex touched the book.

Pyschometry... Memories with strong emotions often have a nasty habit of sticking to nearby objects. People who are sensitive to these energies can see the memories within upon touching the object. Alex took a seat in the library, massaging his temple as he struggled to calm his throbbing head. 'Bloody hell... That _hurt!_' he groaned. Ceaser clapped him solidly on the shoulder.  
>'Well done, Alex.'<br>'You 'Kay, Alex? You look a bit... Pale.' Kara wondered. Alex groaned in reply, burying his head into his arms.  
>'<em>I don't feel well...<em>' Alex groaned. '_I wanna go home...'_  
>Kara shivered, feeling the temperature dive, her breath steaming up. 'Where is it, Alex? Show us.'<br>Alex gave a small groan before- without looking up- he pointed in the direction of the library door. There, near the door, Kara could feel something. Something where the shadows became deeper into utter darkness. Something was watching them.  
>'<em>Ahh, you couldn't resist coming back for a book, huh?'<em> all of them turned to look for the source of the voice, standing at the opposite end of the library was the fake Tepp... Again with dark souless eyes that seemed to be of the void themselves.

'What _are_ you?' Alex demanded, stumbling to his feet as he clutched his head.

'Me? I am the begining and end of all things, I am you, you are me.' he stated.  
>'You... You're a <em>monster!'<em> Alex managed, getting right up close. '_I hate you...'_  
>He was cut off as the soulless monster grabbed him by the throat and lifted him clean off his feet. 'Alex!' Kara gasped.<br>'_I should kill you now, you __**filthy**__ half breed!'_ he demanded, tightening his grip. Kara felt the same electric charge build up in the air as Alex began to struggle more. She ducked, and screamed, dragging Ceaser down with her as books began to fly from their shelves, before an enitre bookshelf collapsed onto the floor. Then something came howling from the darkness, seizing the fake Tepp and sending him flying across the room. Alex hit the ground, coughing as he struggled for breath, head throbbing and feeling about to explode. 'Alex?' Kara reached him first, crawling amongst the scattered books. Alex looked over at her; he was pale, veins throbbing over his forehead, and dark, thick blood dripping from his left nostril.

The fake Tepp continued to laugh as whatever it was tore into him; crimson marks appearing on his skin and shredding clothes. The students fled with the Necronomicon, leaving the monster to... Whatever it was. 'Oh, hello, kids...' They passed Azathoth in the corridors again. 'Are you done for the day? Have a nice weekend...' 


	9. Chapter 9: Sanity has Advantages

_**Chapter 9:**__** Sanity Has Advantages**_

Winter came to the school, the skies turned a dazzling opaline white and the grounds were covered in a soft white frost of snow. Inside the school, there was a buzz of christmas, and the air became supercharged as rumours flew everywhich way. 

Alex had been cautiously avoiding staring their fake teachers directly in the eyes, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to repel one such teacher.  
>'Mr Gale, why do you seem to struggle so in my class...?'<br>Alex did not look up from his book, he could sense that "Mr Tepp" was right in front of him. The rest of them were gone, the two were alone.  
>'Alex...' he sighed. 'The last time you were in the school after dark... What did you see?' A gentle hand under his chin, lifting his head from the book, forcing him to stare into those deep eyes.<p>

'_What did you see?'_ That irresistable echo in his tone.  
>'It was you.' the words escaped his lips without Alex's own thought. Nyarlathotep sighed deeply before striding around the table so he stood next to Alex. 'I have heard that the library has been missing a specific tome for quite a while... Do you know anything about it?'<br>'No, sir.' Alex shook his head, eyes flicking momentarily to his own rucksack. _Why did I have to bring it with me?_ He cringed slightly as an arm was draped over his shoulder.  
>'You know an inkling of me, Alexander, do you fear me now?'<br>'Yes.' Alex nodded. 'Truly, sir.'  
>'My name, Alex, say it.'<br>'Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos.' Alex shuddered, glancing at the hand he could see. The hand moved to ruffle his hair.  
>'Clever, well spoken, and still <em>sane!<em> My, my, the Yith genes must be helping you.' he was amused.  
>Alex trembled as he turned to stare the Outer God in the face. Deep eyes turned a burning gold. 'You stare into the abyss, but I am the abyss, Alex, and <em>I. Stare. Back.'<em> Nyarlathotep finished with a smug grin, only stopping to apply a small kiss to his forehead. 'Keep your sixth sense closed, you won't like what you see of me...'

Alex dived into the restrooms before his next class, seeking to cool his fiery skin.

'C'mon, Wilbur, it's not that bad.'  
>'Go away!' Came the distorted reply. Alex looked to his left to see Randolph Carter leaning against a set of toilet cubicles. He bowed his head and gave a sigh before noticing Alex. 'You should see him.' Carter whispered. 'It's <em>awful...'<em>  
>The door to the restrooms opened and the vibrant haired librarian entered and immediatly made a bee-line for the toilets. 'You two. <em>Out.'<em> he ordered to Carter and Alex.

The two of them waited outside, listening at the door but only hearing muffled voices.

'Shouldn't you be in class, now?' Mr King wondered as he passed them in the corridor. 'Why are you looking at me like that, Mr Gale?'

'Oh nothing, Sir.' Alex stated. _Except that you're a dark God acting as my art teacher and __**No-one**__ has noticed a thing!_

'I think Hastur's trying to turn our minds into a goopy mess.' Ceaser stated as they walked home, having suffered the biting frost, and their bags heavy with homework. 'Hm?' Kara wondered, her breath steaming up through the scarf wrapped around her neck and lower face.

'According to the Nerconomicon, he is the representation of decay in the universe, and the patron of pyschotic artists.'  
>'Well, that would explain his art classes.' Kara nodded. 'Next he'll be making us take drugs.'<p>

Alex was glad to be out of the frost, snow, and cold. He was glad to be away from the school and in his home with good central heating. 'You alright, Alex? You look a bit... Stunned.' his mother wondered as he rubbed his forehead before trying to focus on homework. 'I'm fine... I just...'  
>'Ooh. Is my son in love?' his mother guessed rushing to his side. 'So, tell... Who's the lucky girl?'<br>_Human? __**Girl?**_ _Oh shit... I love the soul, not the mask..._  
>'I just...' Alex swallowed deeply. 'It's a teacher.'<br>'Ah, don't worry, your hormones are everywhere. It'll settle eventually.' she patted him lightly on the back. 'Just... Try and not to flirt with her.'

'Look at me, Dad... I'm a freak...'  
>Yog Sothoth considered his son's words as he examined the twisted, mutated form before him. Wilbur Whateley had now devloped another set of arms bursting from his back, ending in large, sharp talons. His normal right arm was elongated and covered in rapidly blinking eyes. Feet ending in cloven hooves as an oversized scorpion tail whipped lazily around him.<br>'Well... I've seen worse, believe me.' he managed, pushing his glasses back up.  
>'But I don't want to look like <em>this!<em>' Wilbur demanded. 'What caused this!'  
>'I have a faint idea...' Yog Sothoth muttered, considering the possibilites and what he had heard from the students. There was darkness in the heart of this school, and it did not come from Nyarlathotep.<p>

Nyarlathotep knew humanity had a purpose, he just wasn't going to _tell_ them it. Let them wander in their pessemistic voids. There was a reason that Nyarlathotep put the rumours curse on the school; Whenever humans gossiped, they always seemed to speak of the _bad_ stuff... Unfortunately this also created a lot of Thoughtforms. A Thoughtform was what happened when enough humans focused their imaginations on a single idea. That idea would then draw in those energies and then they sometimes, only sometimes, became concious of their own existence. Most Thoughtforms were harmless, quickly fading away if ignored. But this, in the school, this was something else... This one was _powerful._ Powerful enough to take on a solid form and control weaker minded beings. Ah well, these things happened.

He could do nothing but give an annoyed sigh as he spotted the text book left on the desk. When would that human learn?  
><em>He spoke my name. He knows me.<em>  
>The Crawling Chaos shook his head, dark hair settling once again. 'He knows only an inkling. A drop of water in a vast ocean.'<br>'Talking to yourself again, Dark Messenger?' he turned to find Hastur in the doorway, his mask in his hands, leaving Nyarlathotep staring Hastur in his... Incredibly... beautiful face. He shook his head to clear his cloudy thoughts; he was not a weak willed creature easily bewitched by a monster's charms. 'Leave me be, Hastur.'

The King in Yellow shrugged before replacing his mask. 'Very well, Crawling Chaos. I shall... leave you to your fancies...' He left the room in time to avoid a glass beaker that was thrown at him.  
>'<em>Pathetic...' <em>Nyarlathotep snorted. He stopped to consider the text book he held; he kept a grip on it so firm that his fingers threatened to puncture clean through the 500 pages. 'This is ridiculous... It's just a human being! _It's an insect!'_  
><em>So why can't I forget him? It... It hurts to resist the pull...<em>

_**(A/N: Yippie, now Nyarly's struggling to fight his own curse.)**_


	10. Chapter 10: Darkness at the Heart

_**Chapter 10:**__** The Darkness at the Heart.**_

'... So I heard that Whateley's off sick..' Alex stated to Kara as they proceeded down the school halls, not looking forwards to another day of being taught by alien Gods, especially since winter had long since gone by, and now the summer was starting to draw in. 'I heard he left when he started sprouting tentacles from his stomach! Spent the rest of the time locked in the boys toilets!'  
>'Yeah, he did. I think his father's furious though, we haven't heard the end of this.' Alex replied.<br>'So... What do you think King will make us do today?'  
>No response.<br>'Alex?'  
>'<em>Kara...'<em> Alex's voice was a whisper. The student stopped and turned back, seeing Alex staring at a locked door, unblinking.  
>'What is it?' she wondered. Alex did not take his eyes off the door.<br>'There's someone on the other side...'  
>Kara felt the door and leapt back immediatly. 'Crap, that's cold!' she turned to look at him. 'Can you tell what it is?'<br>Alex shook his head slowly.

'Your class is not in the basement, Ms Wilton.' The student shut her eyes in passive anger at that smug git's voice. 'I suggest you move on.'  
>She gently shook Alex, but stared unflinchingly at the locked door. She did not want to leave him to his monster, but his trance was deep. As she walked on, she glanced back to see Mr Tepp placing an arm on Alex's shoulder and whispering quietly in his opposite ear. Whatever it was that he said woke Alex from his trance and the science teacher ushered him on quietly. The Crawling Chaos stared quietly at the door, feeling the chill that enimated it; A feeling of utter evil. He had just located the Thoughtform.<p>

'You left you book behind, _again. _This is becoming a nasty habit, Mr Gale.'  
>'May I ask you something?' Alex wondered, checking no-one could eavesdrop on them.<p>

'Hm?'  
>'Why are you here? You, Azathoth, all of them. Why are you here?'<p>

'Ahhh...' Dark eyes turned gold again as he smirked. 'A botched summoning.'  
>'The teachers were cultists?'<br>'Oh, yes.' he nodded. '...And that much energy forced on us dragged us all in.'  
>'The original teachers?'<br>'Unprotected exposure to our energies; lots of charred skeletons.' Nyarlathotep chuckled. 'What else could it be?' 

'So you just unashamedly slipped into their shoes?' Alex wondered, regarding him with a cold eye.  
>'Our energies were dissipated, powers all but gone.'<br>'What's this?' Alex laughed. 'You're _stuck_ as a human?' His laughter was cut off as Nyarlathotep glared at him, glowing eyes burning into him. 'OK... Answer me this: Why the random mood swings? Perfectly fine during the day, monster by night?'  
>'Hmmm...' The Crawling Chaos did not reply, he seemed to be considering something. 'I do not expect you to understand me, Alexander, nor do I have to explain myself to you.' he waved him off. 'Be gone.'<p>

'Mr Gale, go to your class, please.' Ms Shrub encountered Alexander in the corridor, once again staring at the basement door. Alex did not reply.  
>'There's something here...' he breathed.<br>'We really must do something about this, Shub.' The Crawling Chaos had joined her now and was scratching the back of his neck as he looked at Alex.  
>'What is he picking up?' she wondered.<p>

'Whatever it is that has taken up residence in the basement.' he replied before taking Alex by the shoulders and gently guiding him away from the door. '_Come now, Alex. You just have to block it out.'_ he whispered to him.  
>'Mmm...' Alex replied, resting the majority of his weight against said creature.<br>'Alex, I am not a psychic crutch, stand on your own or I will drop you in the corridor.'  
>'You won't...' Alex muttered. 'Empathy says so...'<br>_Damn Yithians..._ Nyarlathotep thought in a growl.

Shub Niggaruth continued to stare at the locked door, for sure, there was something on the other side, something dark and utterly evil. Evil enough to make Nyarlathotep look like a fluffy toy, and that took some doing... She rattled the doorknob. Locked. Where was the key for this door? The janitors office? She had to find it...

'Ugh...' Alex groaned, turning in the twists of his unconcious mind. Trapped within the binds of a vision, muttering in his sleep as he did so. '... Nyarly... Going through the door... Utter darkness... Kara! KARA! In... In the science labs... Something on the desk... So.. So dark...' Alex sat up suddenly in a start. 'Mr Gale...' he looked around, Ms Shrub was dressed in typical school nurse attire and was checking over a computer screen. Kara and Ceaser stood by him, evidently having just heard everything that had just been spoken.

Under Ms Shrub's orders, Alex was to rest in the medical office for a while longer. Kara and Ceaser, meanwhile, were desperate to decode Alex's prophetic rantings. This took place over lunch. 'We know there's something in the basement. We know whatever it's about to draw in Fake Teppy.' Kara muttered quietly.  
>'Alex also said that he left something on the labratory desk.' Ceaser stated.<br>'Well, there goes Tepp now...' Kara leant back in her chair slightly so she could catch sight of the science teacher vanishing out of the dining hall, a key glinting in his hand.

'What the _hell_ is this thing...?' Kara wondered, examining the strange weapon that had been left on the table: a note was attached to it.

"_Nyarly! I managed to fix the damn thing, but I can't get it to stop creating a overcharge and feedback loop! Once you've released a full burst, you either drop the thing from a reflex or get fried from the electrical backfire! Maybe you can have a crack at it?_

_Yog." _

'It's a gun...' Kara realised.  
>'Yeah. I want it.' Ceaser reached for it, but Kara knocked his hands away.<br>'Hey! He said it wasn't safe!'  
>'Yeah, but it's a big fucking gun and Alex led us here for a reason.' Ceaser replied with a smirk, grunting as he hauled the thing off the desk. 'Damn it! This is <em>heavy!<em> How can Mr Lanky Arms lift this?'  
>'Let's assume he's super strong, too.' Kara shrugged. 'C'mon, we should go and pester Alex for more information.'<p>

'How could you lose him?'  
>'I... How <em>dare<em> you speak to a member of staff like that!' Ms Shrub demanded as she glanced at the empty bed. 'I don't know. I turned my back on him for one second and then he was gone.'  
>'Agh! The Crawling Chaos! Alex's sympathy's going to be the death of him!' Kara realised. Now they had to go to the basement; the one place that seemed to hold all of the answers.<p>

'Ready Ceaser...?' Beyond the door was utter darkness, stairs descending into... _nothing._  
>'I've got a gun, I'm stoked.' he replied. Kara took that as a "yes" and they both marched down the stairs, no student tried to stop them.<p>

That familliar dark chill crept into their bones as they felt the eyes of something without a soul upon them. 'Alex?' The basement was large, but Kara's voice did not echo at all. It was as though the darkness was a solid smog, preventing all chances of calling for help. No-one could hear you scream. A dark groan from nearby. Kara's flashlight fell on a dark suited figure, barely concious, golden eyes focused on them weakly. Nyarlathotep was a mess, face covered in cuts and gouges, dark blood trickling down his forehead. 'I'll... live...' he managed.  
>'<em>Ahh! So it is that others finally walk into my den!'<em> An exact copy of his voice called out from the darkness. She did not have to wait long until Kara saw him appear: those empty soulless eye sockets staring out at her. '_I did enjoy meeting you, but know that our meeting would've been much shorter and __**far. More. Fatal.**__ Had this... Fallen God.'_ he nudged the Crawling Chaos with his boot. '_Not come howling out of the darkness and coming to your aid.'_

Kara and Ceaser looked to Nyarlathotep who gave a small smirk in reply. 'You were trying to _save_ us?'  
>'Tch...' came his reply. 'I am not going to be upstaged by a pile of negative emotions.'<br>'_Oh, yes... Creature born of mind of man have but a short time to live! But... Ooo... All those naughty little things you did over your life. Such a tasty morsel you were...'_ He turned to face each of them in turn. '_Each of you contributed something to me. All those dark little thoughts, you felt you could keep a secret? They fed me.'_  
>'What are you?' Kara demanded. 'Where's Alex?'<br>'_The little creature you speak of could not stand to be near me it seems...'_ the evil Thoughtform gestured to where Alex lay on the floor not far away, twitching feebly as he stared unblinkingly ahead. '_I expect that he will be nothing more than a ambition-less, emotion-less shell soon. Perhaps he will be of use to me? A vessel to temporarily carry my essence elsewhere...'_  
>'Bastard...' Ceaser revved the massive gun, lightning crackling at the edges of the barrels. 'I'll rip you to shreds!' <p>

The Malice Thoughtform chuckled at Ceaser's threat before calmly approaching him and knocking him aside before he could fire. '_Idiot child. I am the shadow of all in this school! Their power and hatred is my own! There is __**nothing **__you can do to stop me!'_  
>'I... I've got it!' Kara groaned as she picked the gun up, goodness this was <em>heavy!<em> Somehow she managed to take aim at The Malice, before it could realise what she was doing. Kara fired the gun. A blast of lightning rippled across the air as the rail gun fired, electrically boosted bullets formed from pure energy hit The Malice square in the face. It stumbled backwards from the impact, spraying inky blackness through the air. Kara meanwhile was forced backwards onto her rear end, releasing the gun from an impulse as the backfiring discharge hit her.

She scrabbled around in the darkness, feeling for the energy gun. The Malice had recovered meanwhile and took utter pleasure in torturing and infuriating her. '_Alex is dying, Kara!'_ he mocked in Ceaser's voice.  
><em>Hang on, Alex... <em> Kara felt tears in her eyes as she saw him staring at her, her hands closed around the energy cannon, sensing the Malice behind her, she spun on her back and fired again.

The Thoughtform's scream as it died was horrifying to hear, Kara dropped the gun to the floor so she could cover her ears. It shifted and changed into a countless number of forms, most of them students. The changes became more rapid before it became a formless blob of dark energy: then it was gone. The supernatural chill faded from the air, allowing it to become warm once again.  
>They had done it: aside from the usual eldritch darkness created by Outer Gods trapped in human skins, everything was fine. <p>


	11. Chapter 11: Last Day of Term

_**Chapter 11:**__** Last Day of Term.  
><strong>_

It was for the end of the year that the students sought most of all: Six weeks without teachers or homework. The headmaster was actually sober for once, scruffy clothes ironed and straightened, and soft hair pulled into a ponytail. 'I hope.' he began to the assembled, voice clear and strong. 'That you will make the most of the last day of term, to say your farewells for this year, and to do anything that remains to be done.'

At some point, Kara must've passed out because she awoke in the medical office with no memory of how she got there. Shrub had eventually cleared her and she met Ceaser and Alex in the foyer. 'How are you?' she asked them.  
>'Never better.' Ceaser smirked before both turned to look at Alex.<br>'Azathoth's stopped all of this years exams... I was really looking forwards to all that learning...' he sighed.  
>'As you can see, Kara, Alex here has made a complete recovery.' he gave the half human a playful shove.<p>

The "teachers" too seemed to have recovered from the injuries inflicted by The Malice. 'You may believe, Ms Wilton.' On saying farewell to other students, they met Nyarlathotep outside his classroom. 'That the entire school is impressed by your fight against The Malice. But not me, I am not impressed at all. You have also caused considerable damage to a very rare and powerful piece of technology.'  
>Kara shrugged it off with a smile.<br>'Alex?' Ceaser wondered, noticing him lagging behind, looking nervous.  
>'C'mon Ceaser...' she whispered quietly, tugging him along. <p>

Alex stared at the floor for a second before looking up. 'I'm sorry. I... I thought it was you.'  
>Gentle hands on his shoulders.<br>'That Thoughtform was formed from, and fed on negative emotions. It took everything evil and dark and gives it a voice, turns it against you. I am from the dawn of time, it had a lot to go on.' Nyarlathotep admitted.

'It took your form and... You... You were what I could sense. You were what was in the darkness.' he realised.

'Yes.' He pulled Alex into a hug. 'But know this: I will not break this curse, these feelings will not dissipate.  
>'Meh, I'll see you again next term.' Alex stated.<br>'Oh, you will. But do wait until you're older before expressing you feelings.' the Crawling Chaos lowered his voice. '... And pray to all space that you never meet me in my thousand other forms...'  
>Alex snickered at this, finding it amusing. 'Oh, Nyarlathotep, no mask may hide you from the tugging of my heartstrings.'<br>'Alex...'  
>'... And you will wear a tight suit...'<br>'Stop it. _Now.'_ Alex's attachment was beginning to creep out even the Crawling Chaos.

'Do you think they'll ever stop?' Kara wondered to Ceaser as they stood by the doorway, just out of sight, watching their whispered embrace. 'Maybe once we've finished school.' Ceaser shrugged. 'When Alex can't see him anymore.'  
>'But the Necronomicon says he has a thousand forms... He could be anyone.'<p>

'And I'm sure that Alex is able to detect every one of them...' Ceaser smirked before both of them stepped out as Alex approached. 'Ahh! Welcome back!'  
>'C'mon, lot's to do over the summer.' Kara stated.<p>

'Agreed.' Alex nodded. 'Things to see, people to do-' he stopped suddenly, realising his Freudian slip. Kara and Ceaser dissolved into laughs all the while as they walked home.

The "Teachers" may have been alien Gods in disguise, but they were the best damn teachers the school had.

(_**A/N: And we have two more years of this... It gets creepier from here.)**_


End file.
